This RARE Pontiac Was The Last True Muscle Car

This RARE Pontiac Was The Last True Muscle Car - The Pontiac Can Am

Рет қаралды 50,503

Күн бұрын

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In this Rare Cars documentary, we are going over the story of the Pontiac that the world has seemingly glossed over - the Pontiac Can Am. This rare 1-year only vehicle was Pontiacs late 70s attempt to bring back the muscle car in an era that was destroying them.
Sadly, this noble attempt at revitalizing Pontiac's muscle car prowess ended due to one of the dumbest reasons ever - leaving behind a car that never could live up to its full potential.
Chapters:
0:00 Intro
1:14 Sponsored Message
2:17 What Even is the Can Am?
4:10 What Makes It Unique
9:18 The Demise Of The Cam Am
*Note, we are not historians. If you see an error in our research then please mention it in the comments!
For business inquiries or other inquiries, reach out to: rarecarsmedia@fearlessotter.com
Sources:
-www.autoevolution.com/news/th...
-www.slashgear.com/1489563/pon...
-www.thetruthaboutcars.com/202...
NOTICE: Clips used from other videos are fair use and fall under U.S. copyright law because this work is transformative in nature, and has no negative effect on the market for the original work. It is against the law to fraudulently claim a copyright on a video you do not own under the DMCA or to abuse KZfaq’s copyright claim tool. Copyright concerns and takedown requests can be submitted to: rarecarsmedia@gmail.com

Пікірлер: 342

@rarecars3336 15 күн бұрын

The year is 1977, and you have to buy a new Muscle Car. Would you choose the Can Am, or something else? 🤔

@ar2043 15 күн бұрын

Something else… For sure.

@boredom.victim 15 күн бұрын

a 70 Boss, a 67 Z28 or a Challenger - unless I already wanted more doors to bring friends along

@seanhaberman4619 15 күн бұрын

Anything else.

@rarecars3336 15 күн бұрын

@@boredom.victim Has to be new for 77 though

@korndawggy1801 15 күн бұрын

@rarecars3336 the CanAm or maybe an Olds 442. I've always liked the looks of them body styles. 77 Trans Am with a 4 spd would be nice too. My buddy had a 77 Mustang II with T-tops, a 302 from a 71 Mustang, and a 4 spd that we had alot of fun with.

@dlmullins9054 11 күн бұрын

I lived through the fake energy crisis of the seventies. I lost almost everything i had including my land. This was awful for the great cars we loved back then and our country hasn't been right since. I had a 71 Grand Prix 455 that was a beast.

@ATomRileyA Күн бұрын

Its even worse when you realize that oil is abiotic and never runs out and they have been lying about it for a long time.

@jonathanjames1864 14 күн бұрын

This is one of my favorite cars. One of my brother's friends became the 2nd owner of a Can Am in 78 or 79. He still has it, all original & garage kept. He brought it out for a memorial service for my father & took me for a rip like he did when I was a kid. It was a nice distraction on a difficult day. Thanks for a great video.

@jamescunningham4180 14 күн бұрын

In 77 I tried to talk my dad into a Can-Am. He just got rid of 74 formula 400 firebird. Instead he went with the Monte Carlo which was nice. I would rather he would have bought the Can-Am 🤗 I did take my driver's test in the formula 400 so there is that 😳

@encinobalboa 14 күн бұрын

You should have talked your dad into gifting your the Formula 400. That car is worth a small fortune today.

@jasonlemuel5078 11 күн бұрын

@@encinobalboayeah they were nothing but out of fashion car abck in those time

@thebigpicture2032 10 күн бұрын

@@jasonlemuel5078 out of fashion? They were still in dealers showrooms.

@thebigpicture2032 10 күн бұрын

@@encinobalboa the Can Am is likely worth more than a 77 Formula 400.

@MrStacy1974 9 күн бұрын

@@thebigpicture2032They may have still been in dealerships but they were gas guzzlers shortly after the OPEC oil embargo with fuel lines , empty fuel pumps and high fuel prices. Insurance was extremely high for cars like that and unlike the Golden era of muscle cars it was painfully slow.

@travishall67 15 күн бұрын

I enjoyed the video. Thank you for sharing. My first car back in '86 was a '74 Pontiac Lemans Sport Coupe. 350, 2bbl. Before I got rid of it years later I upgraded to a 400 4bbl and a shift kit in the turbo 350 transmission, complete exhaust replacement to headers/glasspacks, and a dozen other budget mods. That car SOUNDED so good it was ridiculous and for as heavy as it was it represented itself well. Horsepower? What's that? But the car would get off of the line pretty quickly. I had lots of fun in/with that car and your video helps to bring back those memories. 👍

@plausibleg.3170 14 күн бұрын

I was there! I can remember the exact location last seeing that Pontiac. It was considered slow, uninspiring, unattractive and NOT a muscle car!!

@Eric--zs6um 14 күн бұрын

I know a fella who has 2 white Can Am's. He's been rebuilding the one for about 5 yrs. Also remember the Laguna in that time frame. Swivel driver seat.

@johnrobinson5156 14 күн бұрын

The Price Is Right had these as 'A Brand New Car'

@davereiland9921 13 күн бұрын

That would have been a pretty cool prize!

@robertliskey420 10 күн бұрын

Up until they went out of business I drove Pontiacs. They had a lot of sleepers. My first was a 68 Executive (a Bonneville less trim) 400 ho in that one. But the fun one I miss was a 73 Bonniville. was my Father's he was a police officer and he somehow went to the police garage and got the codes for a pursuit car. He knew the local dealer and it had a 455 sd! It was a beast. Used to drive the Smog people nuts as was not supposed to exist. Only way to tell was no idiot lights and true dual exhaust. No smog pump and huge carb!

@bobbybooshayradio 15 күн бұрын

You're doing a great job with this channel. I was born in 1968 so I grew up in the 70's and 80's and these videos really take me back. Keep up the excellent work!

@blackice7408 15 күн бұрын

Thank you👍🏿

@Thumper68 14 күн бұрын

Are you sure you grew up in 70s and 80s? Pretty sure we all would’ve thought differently.

@assininecomment1630 10 күн бұрын

No actual human is involved in any aspect of this channel, much less this terrible video. Not writing, not narration, not video selection, not video editing, nothing!

@raphaelhernandez4088 14 күн бұрын

I remember here in Detroit in 84 on Gratiot while cruising. There was a gang of can ams about 5 of them cruising. Quite a sight even then.😊

@NerdrageHockey 7 күн бұрын

Royal Oak Kimball H.S. 1988/89 one of the cool kids had one of these. I'm sure he was probably one of those cruising.

@sharonmurray9751 14 күн бұрын

Had one since new. Mine had black interior and only a sport steering wheel. Drove it for work as a rep in west Texas and Colorado and parked it in 1986 when it had 110,000 miles. Kept it garaged till 2008 and sold it for big money !

@AMCmachine 14 күн бұрын

Never understood that reason for ending production. If the dies for the spoiler broke, why not just keep offering it without the spoiler? Or have an aftermarket vendor supply one?

@patrickshaw8595 14 күн бұрын

The 1972 Le Mans had a planned variant that was supposed to have come with dang near a '72 Z-28 spoiler - and IT was canceled because the first part pulled destroyed the mold. I think that is the basis for the story related here but applied to the wrong car.

@AMCmachine 14 күн бұрын

@@patrickshaw8595 I've read this story elsewhere about the Can Am so maybe it indeed happened that way. I know the '72 GTO could be had with a ducktail spoiler. Not too common, I have seen a few in magazines.

@thomasharris5151 14 күн бұрын

My uncle had one… he had it from 79-82 it had the black interior. As a little kid I remember the car. Dad had a 1969 SS and Uncle Andrew had the Pontiac. Great times! I wish I had bought cars today😢

@GM_766 14 күн бұрын

Rare Cars is one of my favorite YT channels. I watch almost everything you produce. Having said that, you danced all around the direct predecessor of this car and didn't mention it. The Can Am was a Grand Am with a Trans Am hood and a rear spoiler. Everything else about it was a direct copy of the first gen Grand Am, produced from 1973 until 1975. I'll admit I have a soft spot in my heart for the Grand Am, since a 1973 Grand Am was my first car. White car with maroon interior and vinyl top, 400, auto trans, and the stripes were red, white and blue. The 400 produced a few more ponies in '73 (230 hp) than it did by '77. Then in '78 they came out with the downsized version of the Grand Am built on the Grand Prix platform.

@howmit6361 14 күн бұрын

I walked by a Can-Am every day for a couple of years in the late70's. What sticks out in my mind, was that I swear it had 7.9L metal badging, a white leather interior, and that it had Recaro seats with graduated orange inserts. For some reason, I thought that it was perhaps a Canadian car as this was in Binghamton, NY and the car didn't look like it came from Detroit. I'm kicking myself for all the opportunities I've had to acquire one of these when they were ignored. Alas, that is no longer.

@rarecars3336 14 күн бұрын

Maybe they put a 455 in it? 7.9L is close to that displacement?

@howmit6361 14 күн бұрын

So napkin math puts a 455 about 7.5L, and if you .060 bore it out would put it a little more. I could have the number wrong, but for sure there was a 7 first, and the more I think about it I think it was 7.8. A caddy 472 swap maybe? Would that even work? Regardless, whoever had the car had put a good deal of thought, time, and money into customizing a factory custom. It was really well done. It's hard to convey the amount of understated badass-ness that car had.

@joequillun7790 14 күн бұрын

I could "almost" see this as being the last muscle car, but the muscle is missing from the drive-line. Pretty sad.

@andrewdonohue1853 10 күн бұрын

the EPA killed it

@JeffFrmJoisey 14 күн бұрын

I’ve seen a few of these over the years, mainly into the 80’s. The stripe and the interesting typeface of the Can Am logo are what caught my eyes back then.

@rarecars3336 14 күн бұрын

The stripe and logo package was actually pretty sweet - I really like it

@t.l.robinson2162 14 күн бұрын

This is a very beautiful car. I have a customer who has one. He had me build a 400 Pontiac that lays down a little over 425 horsepower. It is a beautiful beast.

@Scott_Buchanan 12 күн бұрын

What mods did you do to the engine? That’s pretty healthy

@spunas1 12 күн бұрын

Sorry, but IMO everything after 73-74 got that screwy boxy look. There were exceptions.

@mikewatts1450 6 күн бұрын

@@Scott_BuchananIt was pretty easy back then 😉 mind you they wouldn't pass emissions back then 🤫 you were basically retuning a down tuned engine 👍!!

@guybusch6169 14 күн бұрын

Have owned mine since 94 Still mostly original

@sombra6153 14 күн бұрын

Gotta figure that 200 net hours power was likely closer to 280-300 gross.

@rarecars3336 14 күн бұрын

Also a good point - I should have mentioned that

@crankychris2 5 күн бұрын

No, more like 245-250 SAE gross hp. Each engine was different when converting, but in NO engine was there a 50% difference.

@charlesdiggs5297 15 күн бұрын

Was always one of my favorites.I could see the potential

@gerardgalletta6943 14 күн бұрын

If they were selling 300,000 Grand Prix’s the Can Am wasn’t stealing enough sales to make any difference.

@MichaelKelly-eg6jo 15 күн бұрын

I'm a Pontiac guy from way back. But I also like Mopar as well. I'd like to think that the early '80s Dodge Mirada was sort of the last muscle car. You could tweak the 360 to put out some good power.

@drippinglass 8 күн бұрын

The 360 was available, but only the first year, 1980. 😎

@soyounoat 14 күн бұрын

Many years ago I owned a 1977 LeMans Sport Coupe. With it's "Radial Tuned Suspension" the car handled and rode better than any other large "mid size" that I have driven. The only downfall was the anemic 301 2 barrel engine which would slow down on moderate inclines. I wish I had found one of these Can Am models. With a potent 400 or 455 that car would have been a keeper.

@rarecars3336 14 күн бұрын

OOF yeah a 301 had to be rough - that 455 would have really given you a whole lot more torque!

@willymccoy3427 10 күн бұрын

In the late '70s, I had a '75 LeMans Sport Coupe with the 455 in it. The rear axle was geared for gas mileage, but darn that car would go. Wish I still had it, but it got totaled one morning by a pickup on the wrong side of a sharp curve on a country road.

@angeldawnmorningstar 5 күн бұрын

Deleting ALL the emission BS , along with true dual exhaust and a curve kit in the distributor would be the cheapest and easiest way for a new owner to make this car more fun right from the start..it's a shame they didn't offer the B-W Super T10 as an option on this model , but a performance stall converter would be a must for that stinky stock THM Thanks for sharing ! 😇❤

@tomtbi 14 күн бұрын

I would love to see a model kit of one of these someday...

@rarecars3336 14 күн бұрын

Agreed

@robtiger 14 күн бұрын

My neighbor across the street had one of these and also a mustang KR 500 and I survived by my bicycle when I was 10 years old in 1977 and look at these cars, not knowing what they truly would become

@scottnix4991 14 күн бұрын

Another great video. Where does this car fit in with the 73 soft nose Grand Am? Imagine what it could've been without the I beam bumpers and the neutered 455. It breaks my gear driven heart.

@grand73am 14 күн бұрын

Well, the Grand Am and the Can Am were both built on the Lemans Sport Coupe body, the same basic body shell used from 73-77. Of course, the nose and tail were styled differently, but the body in between was basically the same. Even both the Grand Am and the Can Am used the Grand Prix dash. The Can Am came with the 200 hp 400 (No 455 was available for 1977). The 73 Grand Am was available with either a 230 hp 400, or a 250 hp 455. I don't necessarily think the Grand Am and Can Am "fit in" with each other, since they were 2 different ideas. The Grand Am was to be a combo of sport and luxury and compete with euro cars. The Can Am was developed to add a sporty GTO type image to the Lemans to try to create interest in the Lemans due to lagging sales.

@scottnix4991 14 күн бұрын

@@grand73am Thank you for your reply. I loved the 73 model. I've searched in vain for one I could restore to it's true purpose. The irony is that today, this old

@scottnix4991 14 күн бұрын

Man drives a 4 banger Mustang Eco Boost that is faster than any of the cars of the malaise period

@haroldjackman2010 8 күн бұрын

I saw one of these in the 1980's and loved it. I had no idea it was so rare. Thanks!

@mizake01 14 күн бұрын

My uncle had one. 1980-84 (not sure). 6.5yrs old. I thought it was straight off Daytona 500, Indy, Le Man . . . THE SPACE SHUTTLE! New to USA in 1980, so almost EVERYTHING amazed, but CAN AM stands out.

@pete540Z 14 күн бұрын

In the mid-80s, I worked with a guy that had one of these. I didn't realize then how rare it was.

@richardlong8014 14 күн бұрын

I grabbed a '75 Lemans Sport Coupe GT in 1990 from Ft Benning, GA in Providence, RI. It needed a little life in the engine and some cosmetics, but otherwise it was a score. Still sits in my fleet of old cars rusting in the woods of Northern Maine. Too many fond memories to let it go.

@rarecars3336 14 күн бұрын

Can't blame you there, the memories are priceless!

@davesaletzki1193 13 күн бұрын

There were actually 5 interior colors. Along with the 3 you mentioned there were some Buckskin (tan) and very low number of blue interiors. Also I know there are two production numbers for Can Ams. 1133 and 1377, the 1377 I believe was verified by Wangers years ago. I've had 2 of these and still own my second of the two. Great video and review.

@DavidFlorida634 13 күн бұрын

The 1133 number actually did come from Wangers. Pontiac officially said 1377. A lot of people think the Pontiac number is higher because it included cars that were headed to Motortown for the conversion that were never converted because of the failure of the spoiler press.

@thomasharris5151 14 күн бұрын

@<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="233">3:53</a> I don’t know what I want more the car or his wig😂😅😂😮😂😅 I can not stop looking at it

@PlayingInVestapol 8 күн бұрын

Thanks for posting this video. I always asking people do they remember the Pontiac Can-Am. They look at me like I'm crazy.

@ginor8416 14 күн бұрын

My friend had a ‘76 Grand Prix with the 400ci. It was a nice car, decent power, good ergonomics. Ostentatious styling, the ‘70 looked meaner and more muscular, but it was a nice cruiser

@clinkerclint 10 күн бұрын

I've never seen one in the wild but always enjoyed reading about them in HPP. Pontiac truly was the only shimmer of light in the late 70s when it came to performance.

@CaliWaliDoDaDay 7 күн бұрын

First off YEAH! Great channel and content. Thanks from your new sub in SoCali My neighbor where I grew up in North OC in the 70's had a white Pontiac that looked pretty sporty, but I can't remember the orange decal kit. Man, it's high time I get to storage and dig out all of those pics I took in High School. Man, I mean I took pictures of everything including some famous hot rod builders that came to the Auto Shop class and shared all kinds of knowledge, we were not riveted to what he was sharing, WE WERE WELDED! HAHAHA anyway, look forward to coming on share time, God Gless

@madmike2624 15 күн бұрын

Great content my brother!!! That is one rare car right there! I might have seen one or two in my life, and I am darn near 60.....grew up in those days when they were new!!

@BigJoe2.0 13 күн бұрын

Love the channel man. It's fun learning about cars I knew nothing about or had forgotten.

@mgirard7161 14 күн бұрын

A friend of mine had one in high school. Had no idea how rare it was.

@rarecars3336 14 күн бұрын

No way! Yup one of like a 1,000!

@BlackOps0419 12 күн бұрын

I met a combat veteran widow at Eglin AFB, FL at the east gate base gas station and shoppette convenience store filling up her late husband’s Can Am. We chatted for about 10 minutes as she told me she was keeping the car in good running shape to pass on her husband’s prized car to their then 10 & 7 year old sons. I loved them because they reminded me of my best friend’s ’76 Pontiac Grand LeMans w/ 350 vs 400 minus the shaker hood, regular rear opera windows vs louvre ones and rear spoiler. We had lots of good times in that car my sophomore and junior years as he was a year older and left for Army after graduation and wasn’t around my senior year.

@jerseyshorefabricators7431 10 күн бұрын

Love the channel, keep bringing the B cars that alot of todays generation nver heard og. Can Am was always one of my favorites as a big pontiac fan

@JayLang7 8 күн бұрын

Al, your vids are awesome, greatly made and appreciated!

@RichadTheLionHeat 8 күн бұрын

Absolutely great detailed history of this amazing American Classic. Thank you for your effort in the production of this video. I have shared it with many across the USA and overseas from Hawaii, Japan, to Europe. Pontiac……..The Wide Track winer. 👍🏻😉🙏🏻✝️🇺🇸

@stevansaunders18 14 күн бұрын

This was a lot of fun. Maybe you could do a video on the 1971 Chrysler 300 Hurst Edition

@rarecars3336 14 күн бұрын

Good suggestion! I will add it to the list

@thebionicbassplayer 14 күн бұрын

My Mom had a be 76 Pontiac LeMans Sports Coupe, great car, drove it many times, lots of torque. I used to see the Can Am, quite a bit when it came out and sometimes wondered if my Mom would have chosen that if she had waited one more year to get her new car.

@jeffreymiers8793 14 күн бұрын

I know a guy that has one in Phx AZ....I didnt know what it was until I saw it and he told me about his Mom buying it new. They are pretty nice.

@rogerf7265 15 күн бұрын

I actually saw one of these when I was a kid. It was at a local restaurant and has always been a favorite of mine . I had never seen anything like it and being a huge Trans Am fan I really liked the style of it

@AMCmachine 14 күн бұрын

Seen a few at shows over the years. Always fun to stop and look it over.

@chilliwhiggerE 14 күн бұрын

I saw one driving around about 5 years ago on PA 51 near Kecksburg Pennsylvania.

@rarecars3336 14 күн бұрын

One of probably less than 1,000 left

@stevenfarmer1477 12 күн бұрын

Love your videos so much!! 👏

@DavidFlorida634 13 күн бұрын

Nice job with the video and thank you for including my car at <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="260">4:20</a>-<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="266">4:26</a>

@frazerguest2864 7 күн бұрын

This is the first time that I’ve come across one of your videos. I watched. I enjoyed. I ‘liked’. And I subscribed.

@nativestacker4185 14 күн бұрын

I love Pontiac and The Can Am , but truly it was not a Muscle Car . What is a Muscle Car ? it is a production car that could seat more than 2 people and could do the Quarter Mile in 15.50 or less . The Can Am was still a cool car though . I remember when these cars came out , I wanted one . GM did put out another Muscle Car in 1987 , The Buick Grand National & GNX , but I digress , thanks for the video .

@PatrykdeRosa 10 күн бұрын

that rally gauge cluster gave you plenty to look at while turning your 18-second quarter mile😂

@michaelvarble4392 14 күн бұрын

I worked at a Pontiac dealership in 77 but we never saw a can am. But we had worked on some earlier GTOs . A man came in and bought 2 silver anniversary trans ams an automatic and a 4 speed the auto one had a 403 the 4 speed had a 301 . He said he was buying them for his son so after graduation they could ride around in a pair of classics. I don't know what became of them. I do know they were stored in Richmond VA somewhere the same year placed on blocks and deflating the tires and also climate control.

@rarecars3336 14 күн бұрын

Wow what a cool dad buying them for him and his son!

@michaelvarble4392 14 күн бұрын

@@rarecars3336 the coolest part was that his son was only one year old

@michaelvarble4392 14 күн бұрын

@@rarecars3336 I always wondered how it turned out for the dad and son and the cars themselves

@andreasbenning 9 күн бұрын

Having had Smokey & the Bandit for a pretty much daily babysitter, I do have a soft spot for this generation of Pontiac, even if my general taste in cars is more biased to the 50s and 60s. I want one!! The only thing I don't like about it (and LeMans in general with this body style) is the louvered rear quarter windows, I don't think the design flows well with the body. I'd prefer the bigger triangular window that Oldsmobile kept throughout this body style, but what to do? When it comes to malaise era cars, it's still super cool! Thanks for uploading! Greetings from Sweden

@SquirminHermanthe1eyedGerman 14 күн бұрын

Luckily a friend of mine had one in 1981 & I loved that car, we used to cruise that thing on the strip in Atlanta every weekend! Unfortunately Allen was killed in a car accident in his 1978 Z28 ✌💖☮

@Flies2FLL 14 күн бұрын

"The Last Muscle Car" What did it put to the rear wheels, 130 hp~? Seriously?

@patrickshaw8595 14 күн бұрын

Back then every Tin Indian Man knew that the car was only put back to stock for inspections. The rest of it's life was blown injected 596 stroker-time !

@Flies2FLL 14 күн бұрын

@@patrickshaw8595 Sure. 99% of them needed 14 seconds to reach 60 mph, and were in the junkyard at the age of 15. That back when a silly Volkswagen Rabbit could hit 60 in 10.0 seconds and lasted 30 years~

@horse5407 14 күн бұрын

Goddam it’s ugly.

@mikee2923 14 күн бұрын

@@Flies2FLL Your history is a little clouded. VW Rabbits were as slow as the day is long. They were rattle traps. They were all over the road in my neighborhood because they built a plant about an hour away from where I lived. They were just as big of rust buckets as anything else from that era.

@Flies2FLL 14 күн бұрын

@@mikee2923 1. My '77 went 0-60 in 9.4 seconds. 2. Other than rust issues, my German built car was very solid and could outhandle nearly everything GM built in 1977.

@Curtis1984 14 күн бұрын

Back end is like a camaro with shortened regal lights. Interesting car.

@stevesosebee5860 Күн бұрын

We had 2 Can Am ‘s on the lot when I started selling Pontiacs in July 1977 😊

@0bronk0 11 күн бұрын

To be a little nit picky, muscle car and pony car are 2 different things. The Firebird is a pony car the Can Am is a Muscle car.

@kenkline6319 12 күн бұрын

In 2021 I saw a (probably) refurbished Can Am with a 455 (8.X?) l in Milford Ct. It was BEAUTIFUL! Hate to think what the price tag was on that bad boy! Thx for the vid.

@user-is3bp6ii4n 14 күн бұрын

Thanks for the vid. I had totally forgot about the Can Am even though i wanted one back on the day lol!🤠👍

@Gary_Le_Strange 14 күн бұрын

With nearly 57 million tickets sold, Smokey and the Bandit was the 4th on the list of top grossing movies in 1977. Cult classic?? Hardly.

@mikee2923 14 күн бұрын

Smokey and the Bandit was the #2 grossing film of 1977. #1 was Star Wars.

@Gary_Le_Strange 14 күн бұрын

1. Star Wars 2. Close Encounters 3. Saturday Night Fever 4. Smokey & The Bandit

@KevinJames-yg9eu 12 күн бұрын

@@Gary_Le_Strange You're comparing two different numbers. Smokey & The Bandit was the 2nd highest grossing movie IN 1977, but it was the 4th highest grossing film RELEASED IN 1977. Close Encounters and Saturday Night Fever were released in November and December of 1977, so a lot of their money was made in 1978.

@charles2241 7 күн бұрын

If you were of sufficient age then you would know better. It may not have been a cult classic for the movie itself, but how it massively put TA in everybody's minds for the car they wanted. Probably the only thing that hurt selling more of them was they were more pricey than comparable competitors. Matter of fact, I can't think of any movie I ever saw where the car was so central to the movie, that everybody wanted one. The Lambo in Cannonball Run was certainly another, but nobody wanted one because they couldn't pay such a stiff price. Everybody that had a Bandit era TA at my high school was greatly envied.

@Joe_6_Pack 9 күн бұрын

I owned a 1977 Cutlass 442 with a factory build 2.41 arse end, 160+ MPH car. (optional luggage rack on trunk lid was sexy too). At 60 MPH, like 4.11's at the starting line. Had a few RCMP speed traps not even bother with me.

@jamierupp1657 13 күн бұрын

My dad owned a can am himself! I have been looking for his car ever since he had to sell it! I have so many memories of riding around in this. My dad use to polish the leather once a week, any quick stop and you slid off the seats! 😂

@The_R-n-I_Guy 15 күн бұрын

Love the Can Am

@MrBeeradb1 14 күн бұрын

I use to own one. The compression ratio was 9 to1.it had 3.23 rear gears.They all higher rpm stall converters.NHRA said they were under rated horsepower.They said it should have been more like 265 HP.

@mikee2923 14 күн бұрын

Couldn’t have been stock. In 1971 GM placed an 8.5:1 compression cap on all engines for unleaded gas. In 75-76 all Pontiac V8s had 7.6:1 compression. The W72 came out in 77 and it had 8.2:1 because they used 350 heads because they had smaller combustion chambers. The 6X8 400 heads had around 101CC while the 350 6X4 heads were around 92CC. Not sure what compression the Olds 403 was but I had a 76 Toronado with an Olds 455 that still had 8.5:1.

@boataxe4605 14 күн бұрын

The last true muscle car was built in 1970. In 1971 emission laws went into effect and emission controls on engines took away the muscle. For example the Chevy 454 went from 400+ horsepower to about 200.

@Tom-cp6yj 14 күн бұрын

Chevy didn't make 455 🤦‍♂️

@boataxe4605 14 күн бұрын

@@Tom-cp6yj Opps,corrected. Of course I meant the 454. The Chevy 397 also lost a lot of power, and I’ll never forget The Beach Boys song about the 408.😂

@DouglasBlair-vv4je 14 күн бұрын

Remember one in the neighborhood bought new all the teen guys had to take a look big deal new car Unfortunately 77 was all show and No go couldn't compete with a real muscle cars

@stevansaunders18 14 күн бұрын

4,500 pounds 200 hp (probably at the crank) and 3.08 rear gear…how did the yacht even move lol. My mom had a 1975 Chrysler Cordoba with 160 hp 360 absolutely gutless 😂😂. The 70’s were not kind to the auto industry

@CadanHartleyElliott 2 күн бұрын

Been hearing about the Can Am for quite some time now. It's a fantastic car. Pity not a lot of people know about it.

@hbanyea 14 күн бұрын

Guy down the road from me growing up had a Pontiac Can Am he bought new.

@gordtulk 14 күн бұрын

The last, poor quality whimper from a mess of a company.

@thebigpicture2032 10 күн бұрын

Your comment is confusing. Do you mean the last flop before the home runs or that future whimpers would be good quality? Does, ‘mess of a company’ refer to Pontiac who kept trying to sneak performance cars past the GM bean counters or GM itself sitting at the top in sales.

@gordtulk 10 күн бұрын

@@thebigpicture2032 Pontiac was not a company at the time GM was. Quality across all divisions was abysmal and didn’t get much better in subsequent years

@danielkatzel895 6 күн бұрын

reminds me a bit of a '76 leMans coupe i drove in the 90's - love those body styles !

@michaelweilmuenster5754 10 күн бұрын

I recently sold my 77 LeMans sports Coupe that was in my family since new. Not a great car in general. I always liked the Can Am better. I had heard the story about the spoiler debacle being the cause of its demise. Thanks for the flashback.

@trainnerd3029 14 күн бұрын

Way cool car! Volo auto museum has one available right now

@CLP2102 11 күн бұрын

i seen one exactly like that in a junk yard in 85/86, looked to be in pretty good shape, its the only one ive seen in person

@CsaW4rri0r 9 күн бұрын

There is a Can Am local to me. Shows up at car shows occasionally. Only one I've ever seen in person.

@YS-fr6nu 13 күн бұрын

Those can ams are super rare ,ld love to have one

@mikeks8181 11 күн бұрын

I've only seen a couple of these at car shows! Still Beautiful today and more interesting than todays design aspects! The hood scoop is what I remember the most from Smokey and the Bandit Movies Seems like All the police cars had them! Ever do a video on the Chevy Laguna S3?

@johnkem2630 11 күн бұрын

The 73-77 GM 'A' Body was much improved over the 64-67 & 68-72. Upgrades included; new geometry front & rear suspension, stiffer & stronger chassis & body, radial 15" tires, 8.5"differential - standard, power front disc brakes - standard, cross flow radiator with overflow tank, no 2 speed automatic transmission, hardened engine valve seats, hydraulic camshaft & lifters, lowered compression to reduce detonation, positive crankcase ventilation, 5 MPH bumpers, 3 point retractable seat belts.

@riclafollette9694 13 күн бұрын

The end of the muscle car era was actually a truck, the ‘78-‘79 Dodge L’il Red Express. The highest performance factory vehicle.

@crankychris2 5 күн бұрын

Yes, the LRW's 6150 GVWR let it circumvent the EPA emissions, so it made 225 hp vs 170 for the smogger 360. [SAE net].

@jasonyoung3690 13 күн бұрын

I was 17 in 1977, and I begged my father to buy the Can Am. I knew that he would never buy a TA or Z28, but the Can Am seemed to be the right middle of the pack ride back then. I would have ordered it with the stripe delete, as I never really cared for the 70s styling, as it just seemed to scream "I'm not really all that fast but look at me anyways!" I saw one of them in the showroom, and it took forever to eventually sell, so dad could have actually picked it up rather cheaply, but he went with a hatchback Nova instead, which I was totally embarrassed to ride in or drive. I had a V-8 Vega at the time that was my ride that I built in auto shop at my school, but I wanted the Can Am for dates! The V-8 Vega just scared the girls too much. I always liked the bigger cars with classier interiors, and the Can Am was definitely much classier than a plain-Jane Nova.

@genericsomething 13 күн бұрын

In the late 70s, someone in my neighborhood had one of these. I remember the first time I saw it, I thought it was the grown-up version of a Trans-Am.

@cfmechanic 12 күн бұрын

I have a 78 caprice coupe so i love this era of gm. Great story never heard or seen one of these cars

@mattrodgers4878 9 күн бұрын

Another potential high profile car killed by the bean counters.

@alfinpogform4774 8 күн бұрын

Awesome looking car with not-so-awesome giant bumpers.

@paulhoskins7852 12 күн бұрын

My '77 Cutlass 'S' had the 2.<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="2461">41:1</a> limited slip rear end. Acceleration was not included.

@jeffc7486 10 күн бұрын

I honestly believe they could've done better styling the front clip, I can't unsee past that.

@kinyodas 14 күн бұрын

I remember seeing one at one of those high-profile auctions: all original, unrestored, low mileage survivor - very nice. While I was not terribly familiar with its this model being a one-year run, I thought the selling price of 35k was insultingly low.

@tobingallawa3322 14 күн бұрын

Dual exhausts really would wake these cars up

@joequillun7790 14 күн бұрын

Plus a ST-10, and a 3.42 posi. Unfortunately, the T-10 would be a pile of scrap metal, after the 1st holeshot.

@mikee2923 14 күн бұрын

@@joequillun7790 Not hardly. They used the ST-10 behind the SD455 in 73-74. Made significantly more power than the W72 400 in the Can Am.

@sidefx996 12 күн бұрын

What many people don't understand is that, maybe styling aside depending on your taste, these cars are better in EVERY way vs the earlier muscle cars besides horsepower. And that's a very easy fix with a little tuning. How many people leave current performance cars stock? These were no different.

@crazyoilfieldmechanic3195 6 күн бұрын

A 4 speed 6.6 Pontiac powered Trans Am was definitely faster than a Can Am. Can Am's were a doll up campaign to sell more cars, which several of the manufacturers did to several different models. The 73-74 Super Duty 455 Trans Am was really the last muscle car of the 70's as it would very easily out perform any American made car from 1973 until the Buick Grand National appeared and in it's factory original 200hp the Buick couldn't stand up to a Super Duty 455 either.